Give a Gift for Life

In many societies, owning sheep, goats, or cows means life itself, as it can make the difference between poverty and prosperity. In 2014, Zakat Foundation of America (ZF) introduced its animal husbandry program in which beneficiaries can raise livestock and live off the sustenance they provide through dairy products, such as milk, butter, and yogurt, or use the animals and their offspring in the cultivation of crops. Additionally, the program fosters resilience and productivity, as the excess dairy products can be sold at market, yielding a solid, steady source of income in communities where stable livelihoods are often in short supply.

Through their labor, products, and offspring, these livestock provide enough money for beneficiaries to build comfortable homes and raise thriving families, or even to eventually purchase their own farmland. Families who once could only work as laborers for a meager wage can now send their children to school and afford their marriage expenses. In addition, ZF specifically purchases quality livestock from the host country to boost the local community’s economy. All of this is made possible by the livestock program. Please consider sponsoring the gift of a strong pair of sheep or goats for $220, or a healthy cow for $530.*

“I am happy to receive this cow from ZF. I shall get milk from it. I shall feed my child the half portion and another half will be sold to progress my family. My child will have more opportunities than me. I pray that Allah will help [zf donors] because they helped me.” – Nazma, a livestock program beneficiary from Bangladesh

*Donations to this program count towards payment of zakat, which ensures a rich spiritual reward for the donor as the benefits of the charity multiply over time for the numerous families it helps.